Seniors' attitudes about rationing of health care

Completed Research Project

Original title / Originaltitel: Einstellungen von Seniorinnen und Senioren zur Rationierung im Gesundheitswesen

Summary / Zusammenfassung: Prior to the first lecture in the public series of lectures entitled "Rationing of Health Care: Are Elderly the Victims?" and before a lecture given to a Senior Citizens Association on the same subject, all participants were polled. The polling was repeated at the end of the lecture series. Initially, 69 persons participated. At the end, there were 45 listeners, with 30 taking part in both surveys. The majority believed that rationing is already taking place, only 1/6 rejected such measures in principle. When asked, nearly all those surveyed were in favor of quality of life after treatment and life expectancy as criteria for the right to medical services. Personal criteria, such as nationality, social role, self-related causes and calendar age were rejected by the majority, although less clearly by the business people than by the general participants. This rejection became more marked after the lecture series. Those surveyed gave various specific judgements on decisions about the complex allocation of resources and favored decision-making by patients themselves unless they were senile. A large minority was opposed to very elderly patients making decisions themselves, even if they were not senile.
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Publications / Publikationen: Schelling, H.R. & Wettstein, A. (2000). Einstellungen von Seniorinnen und Senioren zur Rationierung im Gesundheitswesen – vor und nach einer Vorlesungsreihe. Praxis (Schweizerische Rundschau für Medizin), 89, 1200-1210.
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Keywords / Suchbegriffe: Rationierung im Gesundheitswesen, alte Menschen, Altersdiskriminierung, Einstellungen, Attribution, Fragebögen, Nachuntersuchungen, Rationing of health care, aged, age discrimination, attitudes, attribution, questionnaires, followup studies

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

lic. phil. H. R. Schelling (Project Leader)	h.r.schelling@sozpsy.uzh.ch
PD Dr. med. A. Wettstein	Albert.Wettstein@akh.stzh.ch

Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch: Universität Zürich (position pursuing an academic career), Other Public Sources (e.g. Federal or Cantonal Agencies)